OSCE Centre in Astana raises awareness on international human rights instruments

ASTANA, 24 June 2010 - A workshop on human rights complaint mechanisms, organized by the OSCE Centre in Astana, in co-operation with the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR), started in Astana today.

The two-day event brings together more than 70 participants, including members of Kazakhstan's parliament, representatives of authorities, non-governmental and international expert organizations, as well as media.

The workshop aims to familiarize experts from the Office of the Ombudsman and other organizations with the UN human rights complaint procedures. International experts from the DIHR, the European University Viadrina (Frankfurt) and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Bishkek will discuss the use of complaint mechanisms envisaged by the UN system for cases of human rights violations.

The participants will review the status of Kazakhstan's implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its protocols. Recommendations made to Kazakhstan during the recent Universal Periodic Review process in Geneva will be discussed.

"In devising national strategies to build trust, develop institutional capacity and deliver justice, Kazakhstan should draw inspiration from the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights - one of the pioneering instruments of international human rights," said Ambassador Alexandre Keltchewsky, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana.

Ambassador Askar Shakirov, Kazakhstan's Human Rights Commissioner said: "I am sure that today's broad discussions and exchange of opinions on human rights complaint mechanisms will allow the participants to share their experiences with international experts in addressing the important topic."

Paul Dalton, DIHR Senior Legal Advisor, added: "Kazakhstan has accepted many recommendations arising from the review process. The Ombudsman's Office, as the principal human rights agency, has an important role to play in raising public awareness of the recommendations and in supporting efforts to implement them."

The workshop formed part of a recently launched OSCE project to support Kazakhstan's National Human Rights Commissioner. The project was developed in co-operation with the DIHR and Kazakhstan's Ombudsman Office.